Nom Life

Today marks a year since our sweet Lilly went over the rainbow bridge. I can’t believe it has been a year. I have wanted to write about her so many times but it has just been too difficult. A year later I decided I really wanted to take a moment today to try and write about Lilly and commemorate her in a way that she deserves. We miss her every day and though time helps to heal our hearts there is always going to be a part missing. We love you Lilly, so much. I am so thankful that I have so many wonderful memories and so many great pictures. Chances are if you’ve known me for awhile, you probably knew Lilly pretty well. If not, let me tell you about her…

I met Lilly on a beautiful day in Madison, Wisconsin. I wanted a cat and my boyfriend at the time, Joe, and his brothers Pat and Chris, came with me to the Humane Society to check out cats. We looked around and didn’t really see anyone. Then we went into a side room and there was this fluffy poofy cat who they had named Henrietta. Her sign said, “Love Bug”, and they couldn’t have described her any better. I remember we all went into the room to meet her and when she came in, she knew she had to make an impression. She walked up to each person and got pets, and I knew I had to have her. So I put her on hold so that I could go home and get supplies, because my plan hadn’t been to actually get a cat that day.

Lilly’s First Minutes Home

The next day I went to pick her up. I remember as we left the shelter they rang the bell for her adoption and everyone cheered. I was so excited to get her home. As soon as she got to my place she sprawled. I was so happy to have her and I don’t think I could have ever imagined the bond that we would form. That was in 2008.

Lilly’s First Day Home

Some things you should know about Lilly. She was a Wisconsin kitty at heart. She loved cheese, turkey, and anything dairy. She found ice cream to be irresistible. Lilly was always pretty good about not bothering you when you were eating… that is… unless it was ice cream. Then all bets were off and she was going to get that ice cream whether you liked it or not. I remember one particular night after eating ice cream, I was laying in bed and I heard a noise. I walked into the kitchen and saw her sitting in the sink (yes… IN the sink) licking the left over ice cream out of a bowl. What a poof.

Wisconsin Gal at Heart

Lilly loved cuddles. She was my constant companion. If I sat down, she sat on me. If I went in the other room, she followed. Every night when I went to sleep she would crawl up on my chest and purr and purr and purr and I would pet her until I was just about to fall asleep. Then she would carefully climb off me and lay at the bottom of the bed and go to sleep.

Nothing is better than kitty kisses in the morning. Lilly loved to give lots of head butts and purrs.

She was also known to get particularly insistent with these if she was hungry. If she got locked out of the room for trying to get us up too early, she was known to shake the door like the incredible hulk. She also learned how to open doors… so you had to lock them. If there is one thing you should know, Lilly’s food times were not to be trifled with. She demanded a regular schedule and would have none of it if you missed it. I remember many a time me and Joe would arrive home from being out a little too late in Wisconsin and we would look up to see her peering out at us from in between the blinds. I would look up and see her… but she would wait there until Joe looked up too. Once she had made eye contact with both of us she would give us both her immense look of disapproval and then veer off behind the blinds so that she could be at the door to greet us with her voiced protest once we got up the stairs. Do not mess with Lilllifur Binx’s food schedule!

Dinner Time!

Lilly always smelled amazing. She loved to stretch out in the sunlight and because of this her fur always smelled warm and soft. When I would take big whiffs of her fur, as I often did, she would smell like the sun. Everything warm and sunshiny.

I bought a stroller once. She wasn’t too fond of it, but she humored her mother and let me push her around. One of my favorite memories of Lilly in the stroller is when she realized she could ride in it with the top down, and Joe pushed her around the house chasing our other cat Romeo, and pretending to be a Star Wars fighter plane. She loved it! Romeo… not so much.

Lilly & The Stroller

She and Romeo actually ended up being quite good friends. I remember when we were going to move in with my parents and Romeo I was so worried for her. Romeo is a big, burly, loud, demanding old crotchety man kitty. Love him, but this is who he is. We were so afraid that he would beat her up, or scare her, or just bother her. We never could have guessed the little fighter we had. Lilly took no guff, and Romeo was enamored. He constantly followed her around, wanting to play.

Every once in a while Lilly would humor him. Welcome to WrestleMania Cat Edition! All we would hear was MEOWLInG like serious injuries were occurring, and we would come around the corner and they would both be just sitting there looking at us like, what? They would play until Lilly got tired and then she would end the fight by body slamming Romeo into the ground… and he loved it. They became quite the team, even partnering up to steal chicharrones from the counter. Romeo let her know where they were, since he was too old to get to them, and Lilly obliged. I remember the day I came down and saw them sitting in a circle, staring at a poor misguided lizard that had made his way into the house. That lizard did not know what he had just walked into! Luckily my dad was able to save him from further trauma… but those two were definitely working together! They became quite happy with each other’s companionship and spent many a day together sunning on the screened in porch, taking on the world.

Partners in Crime

Lilly was a very well-traveled kitty. She probably lived in more places than a lot of people do in their own lifetimes. She lived in Wisconsin for many years. She had a wonderful vet there, Dr. Miller, who took such great care of her and remains my absolute favorite vet after all of these years. Thank you so much Dr. Miller, if you ever see this, for the time, care, and attention you took with Lilly. She loved every moment of it.

Lilly then traveled to Atlanta, GA in the back of a VW bug. She reportedly did better than both her humans on the drive.

After that she made a grand tour across the US, driving from Atlanta, GA all the way to Mountain View, California. I am so happy she got to experience that and to feel the warmth of the California sun on her coat. She truly enjoyed her time in California and I am glad she got to experience this before she passed.

Arrived in California

There are so many stories, memories, pictures, and blogs that exist because of Lilly. Not only was she known to her immediate family but she came to be a bit of a Twitter fanatic. Lilly loved the attention. She was a true diva. I have never seen a cat pose so flawlessly for pictures as Ms. Lilly did. I have never seen a cat so pleased with peoples attention when they commented on her new collar. She truly lived for the spotlight. I would like to say thank you to all of her followers and furriends. You have all enriched mine and Lilly’s lives in so many more ways than you know. I know that she would be sending you all purrs and nosetaps right now and telling you to Meow On! Her signature phrase! Her online community truly became family, and I hope that through her blogs, pictures, and posts you were able to feel the joy and happiness that filled Lilly’s soul and those around her.

Lilly was love. Selfless, unconditional love. I miss her every day. Anyone who has had a pet, had a familiar, had a fur family, knows how truly deep the connection is and how unbelievably special animals are. They are not just pets, they are family. They give us more than we could ever give them and they ask nothing of us but love. Love them back. Treat them with respect. Take care of them because they are truly special.

I love you Lilly. I will forever love you and continue to keep your memory alive. Rest in love and peace over the rainbow bridge. I hope you get to smoosh all the ladybugs you want over there and that you get unlimited ice cream and cheese.

Good afternoon anipals! What a lovely Fur-iday it is! I can’t believe it has been so long since I posted a blog. It is shameful… I blame the human. She wasn’t allowing me correct access to her laptop… MOL! Gotta blame someone, right? 😉

Well things are going great here! In case you are just tuning in… hello! My name is Lilly! I am a domestic short hair fabulously divine diva kitty who was adopted a many number of years ago from a shelter in Wisconsin! Mom took me home to my forever home about… let’s see… ten years ago now! I can’t believe it!

Since then we have been on the move nonstop! We started off in Wisconsin, so I am a true Cheesehead at heart! I love milk, cheese, and anything dairy! Ice cream and string cheese are two of my guilty pleasures! I also love turkey. 🙂

After Wisconsin I had a few years in Georgia where I got to learn how to be a Southern Belle kitty! That was a lot of fun! I loved soaking in the heat on the porch. Something about those hot summer days is just so restful on a kitty spirit! My cousin Romeo lives in Georgia and I hope to go visit him sometime soon! 🙂

Our newest adventure is our arrival in the great state of California! Wow! What an adventure! You guys, we drove all the way from Georgia to California BY CAR! I saw so many beautiful places along the way. Mountains and deserts and fields and all kinds of things as far as the kitty eye could see! It was amazing! I am so thankful to have had that opportunity. I bet there aren’t a lot of humans who get to do that let alone kitties! I will never forget it!

So now we are settled here in northern California, learning the sites and enjoying the weather! It is GORGEOUS! I have a porch which mom lets me go out on and bask in the sunlight if I so desire … (supervised visits only of course)… and if I want to go out on a walk I have my very own stroller! 🙂 I only like to ride in it when it is in convertible mode… which is a point of contention for both me and mom. You can check out my instagram to see how well my ride outside went… ehe….

Well… I guess that is about where we are now! I know this was a BIG update but I had to give a huge synopsis since it has been awhile! Now I must go and prepare for tonight…

PACKERS GAME NIGHT! GO PACK GO! They are playing the 49ers! They are so close to me I can almost smell the cheese! 😀

You know… lately I have felt very much at home. We moved to Atlanta, GA from Wisconsin almost two years ago now… and I have been enjoying the perks. It seems like the days are longer and more relaxing and the weather is beautiful more often than not (from what I can tell from inside). I do get porch time every now and then so that helps.

Well, lately it has felt like we are back in Wisconsin again! Can you believe we have a winter storm watch? I didn’t even know those things existed out here! It’s been so cold I even let mom wrap me up like a taquito! I usually hate covers!

It actually wasn’t half bad.

I don’t usually enjoy the cold but there have been benefits to this much unanticipated chain of events!

Me and mom have been watching Bones.

Lots and lots of Bones. I think we’ve made it through six seasons now!

Bones is so amazing! I love the show and I love all the characters! The only problem is that there are no kitties on there. I think I am going to start a petition so that I can be the first kitty squint featured in Bones!

What do you guys think?

I think I’ve got the credentials! I am excellent at solving mysteries such as where the humans are hiding and what the kibble special is going to be for dinner. I know before people arrive that they are coming and after they leave I probably know more about them than mom does! I have an excellent sniffer and you wouldn’t believe the things smell reveals!

Such as… THIS.

I didn’t even need to see that picture to know that Mom has been spending way too much time with Cousin Romeo. I object.

Anyways, that is pretty much what is going on with me at the moment. Lots of Bones. Lots of cuddles. Lots of blankets to keep me from the cold weather!

Good morning anipals! Happy #TunaTuesday! How are you all doing this fabulous morning?

Things in Atlanta are starting to get crisp and colorful! The leaves are changing and the birds are up to no good…as usual! The squirrels are also on the move… getting ready for winter I suppose! They don’t have a forever home so they have to build their winter fortress every year! This makes me thankful that I’ve got a forever home and a place to keep my tootsies warm and my belly full!

Today, just days before Halloween, I have decided to feature a most beautiful black kitty for Adoption Tuesday! She is so gorgeous and sounds like the purrfect pet for anyone looking for a calm and inviting feline presence to their household! Her name is Ella… I’m sure because she is so bella!

Here is what the Atlanta Pet and Rescue Shelter has to say about the most beautiful Ella!

I don’t know who said black cats are bad luck, but I’m about the best luck you could ever have. All my friends here at APRA say when I’m your pal, you will feel like a million bucks!!! That sounds pretty lucky to me! I’m a dainty lady who is waiting on someone to come and fall in love. I’m a bit of a wallflower when I first meet you. Just because I’m not the first to greet you doesn’t mean I won’t fill your life with joy. I love treats and being petted. Don’t forget my other favorite past time…being told how amazing I am!!!

Don’t let me wait any longer for my dreams to come true…Come take me home today!! You are all I need!

Doesn’t she sound amazing? 🙂 My little furriend here (she is a lady of just 2 years!) is available for Adoption at the Atlanta Pet and Rescue Shelter! Even better… they are having a special for Halloween! With the adoption of any Halloween colored cat (orange or black) you get $50 off their adoption fee! Isn’t that great?

If you would like more information on Ella, feel free to visit her site here. Ella is available for adoption at the Atlanta Pet and Rescue Shelter in Smyrna, GA. Let’s spread the word about her and get this kitty adopted!

How are you all doing this fine FALL morning! I so love fall! It is the most beautiful season of all… and when the leaves start falling and the weather gets cooler I can see all the birds in the trees more! Wonderful! I love it!

So mom was in kind of an iffy mood today. You see… last night I just didn’t feel like sleeping. You know how kitties have stuff to do in the middle of the night. There are spookies to hunt, stray food crumbs to eat, and a whole night of wonder to experience! So yeah, I just didn’t feel like sleeping! Usually I do my own thing but LAST night, LAST night I wanted mom to hang out with me!

So I maaaayyyy have bothered her a teensy tiny bit. I just wanted to hang out, you know?

First I sat on her pillow and stared at her… because I didn’t know if she was already sleeping. Her eyes were closed and everything… but you know how humans are with their fake sleeping so they don’t have to feed us in the am! So I was just waiting… you know, incase she decided to wake up.

She didn’t SEEM to be awake so I gave her a gentle nudge on the face with my paw. Just to tell her that hey, I was here, if she needed me. She didn’t seem to respond to my paw and so I wasn’t sure she felt it… so I did it again… and again… until she finally opened her eyes!

Finally! I knew she was up! At this point she was getting a little grumpy with me… I don’t know why. I just wanted to hang out, you know? So she might have kicked me off the bed. Well… I decided I’d better play on my own for awhile… but I wanted to be sure that mom knew I was still there… you know… in case she wanted to hang out. So I decided to play with this crinkly bag on the ground. That way I was entertained AND she knew that I was still there! Just incase! Well… apparently she didn’t like this very much.

So after I got yelled at for that I was getting a little annoyed. I mean, here I was trying to entertain myself and that wasn’t even good enough for mom! So just to show her I was not amused I continued to sit on her pillow, stare, and give her a couple whaps on the face with my paw. You know… just so she knew I was still there.

This may have gone on most of the night… but really who’s keeping track? All I know is just as the sun was starting to part over the horizon mom finally decided to get up. She gave me a mean look… I don’t know why.

I was so happy when she was finally awake! Now we could play and boy was there a treat for us! There was a MOTH in the house! Can you believe it? A MOTH! How did that get in here?! I wonder if it was in here all night while I was trying to get mom’s attention… oh well! At least I found it!

So I chased after the moth for a bit and I managed to make quite a nice snack out of it! After this I was pretty tired… but still hungry. So I stared at mom until she fed me.

Then it was time for bed. I curled up in the corner and dozed off. Mom gave me a mean look before bed. I don’t know whhhyyy. I mean… I just wanted to hang out, you know?

Sometimes humans are so weird. They just don’t understand the things that we are trying to do for them. She doesn’t even realize how long and tiring MY night was! I mean… she thinks it was all about her! What about me? I had to stay up ALL night trying to make sure she knew I was there! No appreciation! So anyways… I was super tired after all that so I decided to go to sleep.

Speaking of which… my eyes are getting quite tired right now. I have another evening of activities coming up so I best be getting on my way to take a snooze. I don’t want to miss out on any of the events of the night time!

I’m doing okay. I have been loving the new site and having the comments up… but the only bad thing is that since I have opened up comments the spammers have been absolutely relentless! Why must they try to spam my blog? My followers do not care about landscaping yards and Louis Vuitton bags! This site is about CATS! Yeesh!

It can be absolutely exhausting and it just makes me so mad! I’ve got to stick my paw in my mouth sometimes to keep myself from saying something unladylike! Sometimes it makes me want to pull out my super hero cape and try and destroy all the spammers on the entire internet! Humans… spamming the internet since before we felines took over! *Sigh*

Oh well… there is only so much we can do! I will just have to keep up my spooky hunting skills… these help me search and destroy all the spammers on the interwebs! 😉 (Note some of my idols in the background… Iron Man, Stitch, and of course Buffy).

I guess the main point is we real kitties and humans got to stick together… and not let these spammers get to us. We just have to relax and know that they can’t stop us from enjoying our blogging and tweeting!

I can’t believe how long it has been since I last posted an anipal of the week! Isn’t it crazy how fast time goes by? Well, needless to say, there are plenty of kitties in search of their forever homes STILL! Today we are going to meet just one of them!

Today I would like to introduce you to the beautiful kitty named Joy!

Joy is a beautiful light orange girl with long whiskers and an angelic face. I think she would be well suited for the pawparazzi… don’t you? With a face like that who wouldn’t want to adopt her? She is one year young and listed as a domestic shorthair… like me! Well… breedwise… I am just a taaadd bit older. 😉 Here is what the Atlanta Pet and Rescue Shelter has to say about our girl Joy!

Joy is a perfect name for this cute kitty. Joy is a momma kitty who came to us with 5 babies that are currently in foster care waiting to get bigger. In the meantime, Joy is looking for her forever home. She enjoys being petted and is quite affectionate. Joy loves her scratching post, playing, getting petted and grooming her new friend Gypsy. She is quite playful and has a bit of her own kitten spunk in her. She’s great about using her cat scratchers and interactive toys are her favorite because a person is on the other end!

Isn’t she lovely? Not only a lover but she has history as a former mama cat! That means love! If you are interested in Joy e-mail cats@atlantapetrescue.org as Joy is currently in a foster home! Let’s spread the word about this wonderful girl and get her adopted ASAP! Efurrybody deserves a forever home! <3

If you would like to see more information on Joy, you can visit her page at http://www.atlantapetrescue.org/animal/joy . Don’t have space in your home but still want to help? You can always sponsor her and therefore provide for her care during her stay until she does find her forever home!

Until next week anipals, let’s spread the news about Joy and all the other wonderful pets who are in need of a forever home! Pass on the word and let’s get these kitties adopted!

Atlanta is very different from Madison but there are many things that I have been enjoying about it.

I love laying in the sunpuddles… because here in the south they get super warm!

I love staring out the window… because the birds are varied and plentiful here!

I love napping in our apartment… although I did have a little more space in my old Madison home.

But all and all… I really can’t complain.

Did you guys know that there are roaches that can fly? I have never seen such a thing in my LIFE until the other day! I was totally fascinated but mom was not so much. I think the next door neighbors might have thought there was some kind of crazy fight over here from the sounds that came out of her mouth. I never knew such a little bug could evoke such a large reaction. I wanted to chase it but mom wouldn’t let me. *Sigh* I guess it was traumatic for her… but I say what about me? I am traumatized TOO because I didn’t get to follow my instincts and get the creature! Oh well…

I was just trying to protect mom… you know?

The Boy Human is on my bad list right now. He is on a “vacation” for work and I am not happy about it. Okay it isn’t really a vacation… but it might as well be. He gets mean eyes from me when he gets back!

Other than that things are pretty sweet! The Boy Human FINALLY redid my website which I am totally ecstatic about! I think this layout is much more kitty friendly! What do you guys think? Please let me know in the comments so I can pass it along to the Boy Human… in case he needs to fix anything!

Alright anipals that is all for the time being! I think it is time for a nap!

Hope you all are doing well and enjoying the beginning of summer! Love you bunches!

mariodacat says Oh Lily - it's pawful isn't it. I get spammers sometimes too. I can't figure out how they think we'll get the money to buy their products. They are wasting their time spamming us - we have no money!

Daniel Gonzales Sr. says You & boy human, including your mom are doing a fantastic job with this new blog!
I'm trying to send a link of Lilly's kitty lounge to my niece Ashtian who lives in Bakersfield,CA. She has a pet kitty in her apartment. She's my son's Daniel Jr. daughter. I think she would love your blog. I saw her kitty's picture on Facebook.

LilyLuWhoT says LOVE the new blog Lilly! So crisp & clean - and a lovely pink too! Sorry you didn't get the bug - maybe next time! Always so happy to see you my pawsome #LilysRule furiend! ((HUGS)) Luv yoo! oxO

Mary G says Drake says "hi" and we all love the new website. Be easy when the Boy Human returns since he has been eating lotsa garlic fries and whew his breathe may not so pleasant. LOL Enjoy the Atlanta sun and have a great day. :)